TREASURE HUNTERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22835, 20 March 1936, Page 10

TREASURE HUNTERS

ANOTHER SETBACK WORSLEY’S LATEST ADVENTURE. (From Our Own Correspondent (By Air Mail! LONDON, February 22. News comes from Costa Rica that the British treasure hunters’ expedition to Cocoa Island has been ordered by the Costa Rican Government to leave the island immediately. In 1934 Captain Arthur controlled another expedition to the island, but the Costa Rican Government transferred the members of the expedition to the mainland on the ground that they had landed on the island without permission. The present expedition was granted a concession by the Government and, apparently, started their work with the full approval of the Government. A colonel and ten policemen accompanied the expedition, presumably so that they could claim a share of whatever treasure might ho found. The excuse now given for recalling the expedition is that the presence of Captain Arthur on the board of directors of the expedition is contrary to the terms of the concession. Commander F. A. Worslcy, D. 5.0., 0.8. E., Antarctic explorer and traveller (formerly an officer in the New Zealand Shipping Company), is a member of the expedition. His wife, who was previously on (he staff of the High Commissioner’s Office, is also with him on hoard. The leader is Air Richard Studdert, a cousin of Captain Arthur. The “treasure ship” was (lie former Lowestoft drifter Veracity. Commander Worsley, who was first known in. New Zealand as an officer and master of the Government steamers Tutauekai and Countess of Hanfiirly, made his name with fshaekloton in the Antarctic. In (he war lie commanded anti-submarine ships and earned the name of “Depth-Charge Bill.” Since the war he has taken part in several exploring expeditions, generally as master of the ship, and has managed to find a certain amount of adventure even in those times of peace. lie is now (»4 years of age.

The expedition was hunting for treasure valued at £25,000,000, said to have been left there by eighteenth century buccaneers. The expedition of last year set out to tackle the hunt as an engineerinir problem, and were using electrical means to locate the treasure.